Q&A for How to Ice Skate

Try going with a friend or family member who is confident with ice skating and can help you along.

If you haven't skated in a while, it can take a while to get back into it, but over time, your muscle memory will kick in, if nothing else. It can be tricky at first, but you'll find that you'll get the action happening with greater ease than your first time skating. The more you've skated in the past, the more you'll most likely remember - If you have lots of experience with it, the faster it will come back.

You stop slowly, then twist your body to the direction you want to go. Push off with your leading skate in the direction you want to go, then glide there.

It depends on how long or how frequently you practice. It also depends on how fast you learn and become comfortable with new things. Some people become confident in just a few days, while others need several weeks.

You will most likely fall when you first get on the ice, but you won't fall every 5 seconds. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy. If it helps, you can hold onto the wall.

You have to learn to keep your balance while on the ice. The best way to do this is to hold your arms out and bend your knees slightly.

You can, and most people who are out free skating tend not to wear helmets. However, young children, hockey players, and those trying out complicated moves or motions should consider wearing a helmet.

At most ice arenas, you are able to rent skates, but it is easier if you have your own because they become accustomed to the shape of your feet.

You want to push from the middle of the skates to keep your balance. Think of pushing the middle of the blade out and in front of you to propel the rest of your body backwards.

Good skates can start at about $60 to $90 a pair. Never go for less, and keep in mind that higher prices don't necessarily mean higher quality. Check online references for different brands, to get a good idea of what others think.

Try to relax and not to really think about it. It sounds daft, but try to take your mind off what you are actually doing.

Practice walking on the black mats around the rink and focus on one point.

If it seems like you are walking, try turning your feet out more to create more of a gliding sensation.

Your friend will probably not care if you fall a couple of times. Rome wasn't built in a day. You can't immediately start doing figure 8s right after you step on the ice. If you fall a couple of times, it's normal. If you do practice balancing when you get on the ice, don't act like you are bothered by her presence. Pretend you are alone and no one is looking.

You can, but you must walk with your feet at a diagonal position. The best is to hold the wall while walking and make sure you do not run on the ice.

It depends. Some ice rinks will have cones you can hold onto when you ice skate. Or you can hang onto the wall. The more you practice, the faster you will become confident.

Blades are about 3/16 inch (4 mm) thick and may have a slightly tapered cross-section.

A spin is a simple trick. You stand on your toe on the inside skate and turn it while your other foot glides in a circle. It takes a few tries to do, but it is a simple trick once you get it down.

Yes, but practice makes perfect! I suggest you ask someone to help you onto the ice, and spend some time holding onto the wall and moving around the rink slowly until you get the hang of being on skates. Watch the skaters around you and try to copy their techniques if it helps, but don't try to get too advanced too quickly!

Before you start jumping, try bunny hops and bunny jumps. They are two different things, but sometimes the names are used interchangeably, so it can get confusing. Bunny hops start out by standing still, bending your knees, placing your hands on your kneecaps and jumping up. Once you get comfortable doing those, try bunny jumps. These are done by skating forward (you can do this on the wall if you're afraid you're going to fall) and kicking your leg up, jumping and then landing on your toe-pick and continuing to skate. After you are comfortable doing this, try a waltz jump.

Do what you would normally do to get up after a fall. Make sure to keep your arms out from under you so that you don't injure yourself. If you are skating frequently, consider buying padded shorts to make sure you don't get hurt when you fall.

Yes, you can use hockey skates, although the skating techniques are slightly different to those of figure skaters.

Not really. In roller skating, it's easier to balance and get a grip because of the increased friction. Also, in roller skating, you sort of push the ground, but in ice skating, you glide, so they use different techniques.

You can sharpen your skates at home with a professional sharpening kit or machine. It is usually easier to take them to a skate shop or to a skating rink and ask if they can sharpen them for you.

They build strength in the muscles you need for skating.

No. You can enter it by doing three turns into it. If you are doing a back spin, you can do a pivot. You can also start by just simply pushing into it from stand still.

Only if you stop incorrectly. A toe pick can help you stop, but just remember to keep your balance.

Practice, practice, practice. Look forward, bend your knees, keep your arms up for balance, and try stroking. You may want to learn how to do crossovers so you won't lose speed in corners. But you shouldn't try to skate faster unless you feel really confident on the ice and have the adequate protection (helmet, protective padding, etc.).

Running into the rail (hands out, of course) will stop you, but you can put pressure on your feet (squat more) and lean forward. This will help slow you down and not make you fall. When you reach a slow enough speed, and if you can, turning while have your feet planted really cuts into the ice and helps you stop, while also giving a shower of snow.

You are probably putting too much weight on one foot (probably your stronger foot). If your ice skates are too heavy, then you can either do two things: 1.) Get new ice skates, or 2.) Do lots of stretches and exercises to make your feet (and body) stronger.